<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>my kingdom come undone by ataharcot, vellichore</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25600030">my kingdom come undone</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ataharcot/pseuds/ataharcot'>ataharcot</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vellichore/pseuds/vellichore'>vellichore</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Inspired by Miraculous Ladybug, Pining, a chlojana production</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:16:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25600030</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ataharcot/pseuds/ataharcot, https://archiveofourown.org/users/vellichore/pseuds/vellichore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A normal college student by day and a kickass, glowing hands superhero by night, Nini Salazar-Roberts could not be more exhausted. Between juggling school and her superhero partner Orion’s terrible jokes, Nini’s life couldn’t be more difficult, especially because she’s been in love with her best friend Ricky Bowen since she could remember. However, when a new super villain comes to town, Nini has to foil their plans and save New York City... with the help of Orion, of course.</p><p>-</p><p>“I’m a part time superhero, I think I’ve filled my risk-taking quota.”</p><p>“Interesting.” he responds. “Wanna talk about that over dinner?”</p><p>Nini doesn’t reply until the small storefront is adequately tidied, and they’ve notified local law enforcement.</p><p>“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” she deadpans.</p><p>“That doesn’t sound like a no.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. my twisted knife</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/lottielotsof/gifts">lottielotsof</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>- dedicated to ms. lottricia &lt;3 and the rest of the geriatrics/priv tl :D we tolerate you<br/>- loosely based off miraculous ladybug<br/>- i (sanjana) orphaned a version of this story a couple weeks ago but chloe and i are doing a much improved rewrite<br/>- tw for some mentions of violence and anxiety<br/>- set in new york, with all characters in college<br/>- nini’s powers as allegra are loosely based on starlight from <em>the boys</em>, with bioluminescence and energy blasts, as well as the ability to jump long distances<br/>- orion’s powers are like a cross between daredevil and spiderman sans spider — enhanced strength, speed, jumping, and combat.</p><p>anyways we hope you enjoy it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If the barrage of bullets flying in her direction didn’t kill her, then Nini swore on her Lola that Orion’s shitty jokes would. They are in the midst of stopping an armed robbery of a homely corner bodega in Washington Heights, it’s 90 degrees outside, and her partner is actively exchanging blows with a heavily-muscled robber when he has the audacity to snark at her.</p><p>“It’s getting pretty heated in here, isn’t it princess?”</p><p>“Not the time,” she groans, dodging an attack, “and for the last time, it’s<em> Allegra.</em>”</p><p>She inhales, channeling the electricity that has been coursing through her veins out through her extended fingertips. The air around her sparks at her command, and her beam of light knocks the bullets, gun, and gunman to the ground simultaneously. When she looks back over at Orion, he has already disarmed and handcuffed two of the thieves, and is walking over to get to work on the third.</p><p>“You know…” he muses, his silvery blue suit and mask reflecting the light of her golden sparks, “we don’t have to be all business all the time.”</p><p>She gives him a gentle, reproaching smile. “Small talk just isn’t in the job description.”</p><p>Orion rolls his eyes at that. “You’re acting like there <em> is </em>a job description. Live a little.”</p><p>Her chest tightens at his use of the phrase <em> live a little</em>: it’s a phrase her friends and family have thrown at her again and again. But her partner is just cracking a joke: he doesn’t know that under the mask and bravado, she’s nothing more than an insecure perfectionist. The girl that always plays it safe.</p><p>So Nini scoffs and turns on him. “I’m a part time superhero, I think I’ve filled my risk-taking quota.”</p><p>“Interesting.” he responds. “Wanna talk about that over dinner?”</p><p>Nini doesn’t reply until the small storefront is adequately tidied, and they’ve notified local law enforcement.</p><p>“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” she deadpans.</p><p>“That doesn’t sound like a no.” </p><p>Nini rolls her eyes. Rejecting Orion’s cheesy attempts at flirting has become second nature: just like the routine of early morning patrols, listening in on police scanners, and apprehending local criminals. Perhaps it isn’t the most conventional co-curricular activity, but Nini is nothing if not an overachiever. Besides, her shot at normalcy probably disappeared around the time she started glowing. Nini doubles, triple-checks the store, as Orion looks on quizzically. They’ve completed every step, and this is where they would usually exchange a couple barbs for the road before returning to their separate lives. This has been her routine for the last 2 years, but there’s something in Nini’s gut that is buzzing, an instinct that says that something is <em> off, </em>something is viscerally wrong.</p><p>Orion places a gloved hand on her shoulder, a silent <em> “it’s time to go,” </em> and she finally obliges. It isn’t until she’s back at her dorm room, frantically preparing for a day of classes when she places the feeling. It felt like she was being watched.</p>
<hr/><p>Nini’s Wednesday morning music composition class is her favorite. She is majoring in astronomy, minoring in music — and the way she feels when she’s writing songs is the same way she feels when she is gazing at the stars. The simultaneous possibility and impossibility of it all never fails to amaze her. </p><p>Even the physical exhaustion of foiling a robbery and lingering unease before running to her 10 AM lecture isn’t enough to completely dampen her mood. </p><p>She’s flipping through her half-finished pages of sheet music, when Ricky Bowen collapses on the seat next to hers. She’ll never admit it out loud, but he’s the real reason she loves this class so much. Her best friend is gesturing animatedly, and she is half-listening to his story about Big Red and his orthodontist, but she’s mostly paying attention to how messy his curls are today, how warm his eyes are, and how wholly and irresponsibly she loves him.</p><p>“Neens?” She jumps at the feeling of his hand on her shoulder before noting the amused expression on his face. She closes her eyes for a moment before answering.</p><p>“Sorry, my physics class has made it impossible for me to get any sleep.” As hard as she tries, her voice is tinged with a faint British accent. <em> Fuck</em>. Ricky’s face grows more concerned, but he seems to account it to her lack of rest after a few moments.</p><p>He removes his hand from her shoulder, and she mourns the loss of contact as he roots around in his bag for a few moments. </p><p>“You know,” he drawls, mocking theatricality in his voice, “you’re lucky you’ve got the <em> best </em> best friend in the world.”</p><p>She smiles softly at him. “Yeah, Kourtney’s pretty great. A lot less drama, too.”</p><p>Ricky pouts at her, like a beseeching child, as he hands her a bottle of her favorite peppermint iced coffee. She immediately beams and throws her arms around him, relishing the moment before letting go. She’s spent hours wondering why she has the specific powers that she does. Not flying or telekinesis or super-speed — but the ability to draw electricity from the unlikeliest of places. In moments like this, when she thinks of the unrelenting warmth and compassion of the boy next to her, she thinks she might understand.</p>
<hr/><p>Movie nights at EJ Caswell’s dorm room are always chaotic. It begins with Carlos and Gina entangling the whole gang into a heated argument about the merits of beginning with <em> Ella Enchanted </em> or <em> Another Cinderella Story. </em> Big Red insists on <em> Sharkboy and Lavagirl, </em> because <em> “it was a cultural reset, guys,” </em> and Kourtney throws a pillow at him. This is how it usually goes. </p><p>Ricky catches her eye and beams, and she feels the familiar pull towards his warmth. She’s nearly dead on her feet as she settles next to him on the couch, and watches their loved ones yell at each other over children’s movies. This is what she fights so hard to protect. </p><p>Ricky wraps an arm loosely around her shoulders, and Nini ignores the curious glance that Seb throws their way. Unfortunately, Carlos is much less subtle than his boyfriend.</p><p>“I’ll concede to <em> Ella Enchanted </em> if Ricky and Nini will just shut up and date each other.” he jokes. Nini rolls her eyes, but she’s had to deal with similar quips for the entirety of their friendship. It isn’t notable. Until it is.</p><p>“Me and <em> Nini?</em>” Ricky responds with laughing disbelief. Their friends quiet down and look at Nini with unadulterated pity. Of course they know, she isn’t subtle. She chokes out a laugh, and leans forward until Ricky’s arm falls away.</p><p>“Why not?” Ashlyn asks, glaring. Ricky doesn’t seem to realize how quickly the mood of the room has shifted. “It isn’t like there’s anyone else.” Ricky draws his arms across his chest and glances away, flushed. Nini hears a buzzing in her ears, and her heart constricts.</p><p>“Who?” she asks, putting all her energy into keeping her voice even. Kourtney takes a couple steps toward her, as if to protect her from the answer.</p><p>“You don’t know her. But she’s — I really like her.” his cheeks have turned even redder, and she knows that this is real for him, “She’s just brave, and so alive.”</p><p>“Brave. Alive.” Nini tests the words out, but they sound unnatural on her tongue. Two things she has never been much good at. “That’s great, I’m really happy for you.” Ricky tosses a soft smile her way, as if he needed her blessing.</p><p>“You bringing her to the ball?” EJ asks as he shoves a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Ricky grimaces, and then shrugs— seemingly eager to change the subject.</p><p>“Ball? Did I miss when we time-travelled to 18th century Europe?” </p><p>Ashlyn takes the opportunity to finally steer the conversation away from Ricky’s love life and Nini’s consequently withering heart. She gushes about her new student government initiative: a masked ball of all things. It’s a perfect medley of Ashlyn’s artistry, Kourtney’s design, EJ’s leadership, and Carlos’ theatrics. There is talk of glittering tulle and themes disguises, as if she wasn’t already an expert. Nini attempts to join the conversation, to soothe the jagged sting of Ricky’s confession and the leftover unease from the morning’s fight.</p><p>Instead, she melts back into the couch and remains silent as Kourtney pulls her away, into the kitchen, and into a hug.</p><p>“He loves <em> you</em>,” she whispers. “Don’t worry about this.”</p><p>The thing is, Kourtney isn’t wrong. She knows that Ricky loves her, platonically that is. They’ve been each others’ constant since they met in kindergarten, when he nicknamed her Nini, and she thought that the way that her name sounded in his voice was better than anything else, so she’d better keep it. He was there when she picked up her ukulele for the first time and sang a song about clouds, and when she went stargazing for the first time and decided she wanted to understand everything that she saw. He was there when her first boyfriend broke up with her, and when she broke her arm climbing the tree in his backyard. She was there when he read his first book, and when he wrote his first story about two best friends exploring a magical world together. She was there when his parents started fighting, and when he started to feel like the universe wasn’t full of the love and magic he had always believed in. So, she knows that nothing could make Ricky stop being her friend. She knows that. But now she knows that he loves someone else, and that person could be anyone in the world except her. </p><p>Still, there’s a piece of her that can’t help but hope for what could be.</p>
<hr/><p>The world was bathed in a cloud of purple smoke, so much so that Nini would be completely blinded if not for her powers.</p><p>It’s something Nini hasn’t seen before, terrifyingly unfamiliar when she finds herself dodging an attack to her left. When she turns back, she can barely make out a smoking dagger, and that alone makes her heart race. This is a far cry from petty theft. The situation is weird, strange, <em> new</em>, and she wonders where Orion is, because he’s always been near her, always watching her back.</p><p>She sees someone jet out in front of her, a blur nearly blending in with the fog if not for the brilliant blonde hair sticking out, and <em> knows </em> that that is the person, <em> maybe thing</em>, who’s been causing this mess. The fact alone makes Nini buzz in a way that astronomy and music cannot, and it must have something to do with the electricity coursing through her veins. </p><p>There’s a commotion behind her, making her twist, and feels her hands start to heat up in that familiar way. She’s about to blast a beam of light from them before the ever-familiar voice of her partner yells, “Allegra! It’s just me.”</p><p>She lowers her hands, not completely ridding it of its blinding light, and snaps, “Where were you? I could have hurt you!”</p><p>“Um, I don’t know, saving civilians, getting them out of the way, dodging foggy knives, same old, same old,” Orion drawls sarcastically. Nini’s eyes widen when she hears the piercing scream from the left, and she could make out Orion’s own eyes darting to the source of the scream. “I’ll go help them, you deal with the problem?”</p><p>Nini nods, already absorbing the electricity from the telephone poles. “I’m going to need your help out there later, partner.”</p><p>“I’ll meet up with you as soon as I can!” he shouts, and just as abruptly as he came, he disappeared into the thick purple fog. Nini sent a blast to the sky, hoping to clear up the smoke to be able to <em> see </em> their mystery attacker. It works to a small degree, and she could make out the violet figure of their opponent, complete with long blonde hair.</p><p>This time, Nini can see the three smoking daggers coming her way, and deftly dodges them, hearing them <em> thunk </em> into a car behind them. The figure sends more, and she takes them out with an energy blast. The playing field is towards Nini’s side, with electricity flowing all around the area and beneath her. However, Nini can’t afford to underestimate her opponent. There are too many civilians, scared but curious, still in this area, still being cleared out by Orion, and the police have yet to arrive. She has to stall and hopefully defeat this person all by herself.</p><p>She jumps, landing on a car and sends an energy blast at the purple figure. They dodge it just as quickly, firing back daggers, which narrowly miss Nini as she jumps above it, landing on the ground beside her opponent and sweeping her legs under theirs. They fall back, just enough for brown eyes to meet piercing blue, and Nini throws a glowing punch. They manage to roll away just in time, and Nini’s fist punches a hole in the asphalt below her. </p><p>The blue eyes glow purple as her opponent sends a dagger her way, and Nini just barely notes that the dagger comes out of thin air before rolling away, sending yet another blast at her attacker. Most people become blinded just from looking at her light, but they seem like they know not to look directly at it, something that nags at Nini as she swiftly throws a car, something that came to her just as easily as throwing a dodgeball, and she expects the solid <em> thunk </em> of the car hitting her attacker. </p><p>What she doesn’t expect is for purple fog to surround the car, and with a piercing sound, she can see the car, or more specifically, <em> the two halves </em> of said car flying behind the purple-clad figure, split in half as if it was soft butter. She doesn’t have enough time to gawk or even fathom <em> how the fuck </em> her opponent managed to do that before an onslaught of knives fire her way, and she barely manages to draw the electricity from the cars before disintegrating them. </p><p>They circle each other like lions in a pit, waiting for the other to falter so they could make a move that would end the fight once and for all. With her eyes glued on her opponent and vice versa, Nini can finally make out her attacker, who seemed like a small girl if anything. However, when you’re in the business as long as Nini, this first thing you learn is that appearances are deceiving, very evident from the purple smoke in the air and the daggers embedded in the ground, cars and walls behind her. The girl’s blue eyes glare at her with such an intense hatred that if Nini wasn’t Allegra right now, she would shrink into herself like a wounded turtle. </p><p>Police sirens wail in the distance as Nini and the girl continue to circle each other, and she knows that she has to make a move, and <em> fast</em>, or more people might get hurt. She can see Orion in the background, surrounded by frantic civilians, and making eye contact with him, she sends a blast at the girl’s feet, too quick for her to dodge and lands her flat on her back. Nini has pinned both her arms above her head, hoping that it would stop her opponent from firing more knives at her, and nearly grins when she can’t.</p><p>She’s about to call it a victory before the blue eyes shift towards where Orion and the civilians were, and Nini froze when she saw purple clouding the blue. “Attack him!” the girl shouts, her voice much stronger than Nini would have expected, but it sounded magnified, as if it was one thousand voices speaking at once instead of just one. </p><p>Nini watches in horror as the civilians’ eyes cloud purple, just before they surround Orion. Now, Orion could easily overpower them if he wanted to, with superstrength being one of the many skills of his caliber, but these aren’t just dirty thugs or petty thieves or psychotic murderers, but <em> civilians</em>, people who couldn’t control what they were doing because this— this <em> witch </em> was controlling them. Said person beneath her is cackling, but Nini is torn between what to do: help Orion before he gets trampled by the crowd of civilians, or stay put with the villain in question.</p><p>The next moment happens in slow motion, but there’s nothing Nini can do to stop it.</p><p>Maybe she loosened her grip while deciding what to do. Maybe her opponent was so strong that she broke out of Nini’s hold. But one of her hands came loose, and just as quickly as it happened, a dagger materialised its way into her hand and flew out. The time it flies through the air is slow, agonising to a point where there was nothing Nini could do to stop it, not if it meant letting her opponent get away. It glides through gracefully, like an eagle taking flight, before landing in the back of a civilian.</p><p>The scream that rips through the air is guttural, and the effects are instant. Suddenly, the opponent is no longer the most important thing at the moment. Orion is still incapitated, surrounded by the poundings of civilians as he tries to find a way to ward them off without hurting them, but without proper care, the civilian who got hit could die. It’s a split second decision Nini makes to release her grip of the girl’s wrist, jumping off to land beside the wounded civilian, and when she looks back, the purple figure is gone.</p><p>The blood is oozing and pouring out of the civilian faster than Nini thinks is possible, and she hasn't even removed the blade. She rips a bit of their clothing to act as a bandage, wrapping the cloth around to try and slow the bleeding. She’s applying more and more pressure to the wound, hoping that <em> maybe </em> it would slow down, but all Nini could see was black blood that continued to bleed through.</p><p>
  <em> Choked smile, coughing blood, labored breaths. </em>
</p><p>She doesn’t even register it until silvery blue covered hands come beside her, and with a start, realizes it’s Orion, somehow freed from the mind-controlled civilians. She hears him choke as well, and knows, <em> knows </em> that it’s bad. </p><p>“The blood — it’s black,” he says, applying more pressure and getting said black blood on his hands. “I think — Allegra the dagger was poisoned.”</p><p>
  <em> No. Wild eyes, tears running down her cheek, one last breath. </em>
</p><p>She knows then that there’s nothing that can be done. But in a last ditch attempt, she hisses a <em> “look away” </em> to Orion before making her hands glow, and placing her hand directly on the wound, hoping to cauterise it in a sorry way to sterilize the poison. The civilian stirs from beneath her, and she thinks, <em> Maybe it’s a good sign</em>, but they let out another ear-splitting scream and sobs, and Nini knows that it’s not.</p><p>
  <em> Slowing heart, stilling chest, words far and wide-spread. </em>
</p><p>She checks for their pulse, only to feel nothing, and instantly starts compressions, thumping to the beat of <em> Stayin Alive</em>’s chorus. She gives them the two breaths and starts the cycle again and again and again. Her arms feel like jelly by the time Orion pulls her away from the body, wrapping his hands around her arms. </p><p>“Hey, I think you should give it a rest,” he tells her. “You tried your best, and it’s okay. We sometimes lose people on the job. It’s natural.”</p><p>She shakes her head, weakly trying to pull her arm away from his grasp. “I didn’t do enough. I can still help them.”</p><p>“No, you can’t Allegra.” His voice is firm but his mouth quivers. “They’re gone.”</p><p>Nini trembles, tears welling up in her eyes just threatening to fall, and they do, dropping against the gold of her superhero suit. <em> They’ve </em> never lost anyone on the job. But then again, they’ve never fought someone with powers before.</p><p>It’s not until she sees a paper blowing in the wind when she realizes how big this situation was, not just to her and Ricky and the civilian’s family, but New York as a whole, when Ricky shows her the words written in elegant purple print.</p><p>
  <em> Pandora’s box has been opened.  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. my smoking gun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Nini grins toothily as her Lola leads her down the worn sidewalk. She holds the saccharine cotton candy they bought as a birthday treat in her right hand, and her favorite person in the world in her right. Her moms rarely allow her to venture out in the city this late, but she’s turning nine years old and her only wish was to spend the day with her Lola. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Nina,” her grandmothers says in her gentle voice, “you have to treasure days like this one.” Nini wrinkles her nose, and lets go of her hand.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Of course I do!”  </em>
</p><p><em> “</em>Hirang<em>, you’re a big girl now, and the world is full of darkness. You must hold onto your light, no matter what.”  </em></p><p>
  <em> “Like the stars?” she asks, confused by this solemn turn. Lola grips her hand, tight enough that Nini can feel the paper of her skin. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Exactly like the stars.”</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Nini barely registers the blinding light of the camera through her blurry eyes. The purple fog has long dispersed, leaving everyone to see the decimation of the streets. Cars are smoking with knives embedded into them, lights are flickering due to the excessive amount of energy Nini had to draw from to have fully charged attacks — <em> not that it did anything, </em> she thinks bitterly. There are news vans surrounding the area, as well as helicopters that circled around during the fight, but it is all for one reason, and one reason only.</p><p>The superhero duo of Allegra and Orion had never failed a mission before. Much less never lost a civilian.</p><p>“What does the threat of Pandora mean for New York City?” </p><p>The gaggle of journalists there just itching to get the best story and exclusive with them are hanging there like vultures over roadkill. Nini feels like she’s being regarded through a glass wall, although they seem to be trying to get closer, intent on shoving microphones in her and Orion’s faces to get the best sound, the most clear interview, whatever it is that they want. She wants to be anywhere but here, just some place where she could wallow appropriately, preferably watching some over-dramatic film  and eating cookie dough ice cream.  </p><p>“Um.” She doesn't really know what to say. What can you say when there’s a supervillain running loose in the city, someone who evaded its superhero protectors and murdered a civilian in cold blood? </p><p>Orion interjects, answering smoothly. “Obviously, Pandora is a threat that we all must take very seriously, but I don’t think that everyone should panic. Allegra and I will do everything we can to find and defeat her to keep our city safe.” His answers are short and clipped, like he doesn’t want to be there as well, but the journalist presses on.</p><p>“You already failed to stop her the first time; what’s saying that you won’t fail again?”</p><p>The lady asking the question is brunette, with watery blue eyes and a vicious smile. Nini knows that she’s not friendly, not there to make friends with the “heroes” of New York City (although, due to the very recent failure, maybe not so much anymore). She sticks a microphone in front of her and Orion’s faces expectantly, and if it isn’t for the mask covering most of her face, Nini is sure that her bright red face would stand out from her gold and white suit.</p><p>She swallows nervously, remembering the shivering body of the civilian and the black blood on her hands. The ambulance arrived shortly after, but there was nothing that could be done. They were dead. <em> Just like her Lola. </em></p><p>She manages a strained smile, and gathers herself in a way that was hopefully enough to keep the questions from coming and coming and coming. Orion looks stricken, so Nini surges forward to answer. “We’re doing the best we can to keep the city and its residents safe.” Her voice manages not to shake, which she deems a small victory. “And we’re going to do everything in our power to stop Pandora from causing any more damage. We reassure you that we will do everything we can to do so.” </p><p><em> It’s hard, </em> she wants to say, <em> and I’m doing the best I can. I’m sorry it’s not good enough. </em></p><p>She doesn’t say that, but instead gives the reporter a smile, which probably looked cold and tired. Orion mutters a <em> “good job” </em> under his breath, and she replies <em> “thanks, you too,” </em> before answering some other questions from the reporters. It seems like everyone is trying to rip them apart for failing, something Nini really couldn’t blame them for, but it hurts like a wound where the knife keeps twisting and twisting and twisting and twisting, and there’s nothing she could do to make it stop.</p><p>
  <em> With the appearance of a new super in town, do you think there are more supers out there? </em>
</p><p>Well, <em> duh</em>, of course there are more supers out there. Orion, Pandora, and Nini are most definitely not the only people with superpowers, but they are most likely the only ones who’ve come out with their powers. Superpowers aren’t always a blessing, you know, with the crippling self-doubt and expectations set by everyone to be good, then be great, then be amazing, and even then, always be <em> better. </em> But they can’t always be better, because they’re human. And humans make mistakes, they’re flawed; they’re greedy and angry and prideful and jealous. It doesn’t mean that they don’t want to be better. It’s just that they can’t help it.</p><p>
  <em> What do you advise the people of New York to do with the threat of Pandora looming over their heads? </em>
</p><p>The same as they always have done. Until Pandora shows true signs of wanting mass destruction and murder in the city, there should be no need to panic as much as you are right now. Of course, if you really want Nini’s opinion, you shouldn’t put all of the pressure of detaining a threat this large on a college girl and her vigilante partner, even if they are super powered and probably the only ones that are known and equipped to fight something to this magnitude. You don’t, obviously, because it would be selfish to leave this in the hands of the local police force, which Nini doesn’t even <em> trust, </em> or maybe even the FBI or CIA.</p><p>The questions keep coming and coming, and Nini and Orion try their best to answer them well, but she knows that they did a terrible job at dissuading the public that there is nothing wrong, nothing to worry about. <em> There is no war in Ba Sing Se, </em> she thinks wryly, chuckling to herself as she and Orion jump off into an alley to hide from the press. </p><p>Pandora is a big question mark stamped onto a piece of blank white paper. She doesn’t know what she could do. What her plans are, what the entire point of the fight today was. A big <em> what happens next, </em> floating in the air with no real answer. Well, not one that Nini could answer anyway. The purple-clad, newly dubbed supervillain is something that would keep them on their toes, but hopefully won’t sweep them off.</p><p>She doesn’t know what she could do with another loss.</p>
<hr/><p><em> Nini is nearly ten now; she is gripping her Lola’s hand, wandering a worn sidewalk once again. The air is frigid and dark, and air pollution has rendered every star in the sky invisible— even when Nini squints as hard as she can. She stops a couple times, and tries to trace constellations in the blank sky. Lola insistently tugs her along, even as Nini tries to mouth the names she taught her: </em>Lyra, Ursa Major, Orion. </p><p>
  <em> “Nina, hurry now.” her grandmother chides. A wave of irritation crashes through Nini: she doesn’t understand why they’re in such a rush, and she just wants to look at the sky. She wrenches her arm away from her grandma and stands her ground, staying petulantly silent. </em>
</p><p><em> “</em> <b> <em>Nina Salazar-Roberts</em> </b> <em>!” Lola isn’t the type to raise her voice, but she does as she tries to pull Nini along once again. Nini doesn’t want to go home, and have her moms put her promptly to bed. She’s a big girl now, Lola said it herself. Thus, she stumbles away and wraps her arms around herself, meeting the eyes of her grandmother who is looking at her like a misbehaving pet, like a baby.  </em></p><p>
  <em> “I don’t want to go home!” she declares. It’s the type of irrational behavior that only children are capable of: a privilege that Nini exercises for the last time.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She feels a shiver run down the back of her neck.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She hears a rough crash and heavy, fast footsteps. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She sees the dark, blank sky. She sees the dark, blank look on her Lola’s face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She smells the coppery scent of blood. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She tastes the rising bile in her throat. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She can compartmentalize the event into its different pieces, but it occurred too fast for understanding. A couple of robbers spotted an old woman and little girl: the easiest of targets on an empty New York street. They shoved her Lola against a brick wall, intending to quickly mug her. The action was accompanied by a sickening crunch, and Nini focuses on the harsh swear of the man who attacked, the one who pushed a little too hard. Nini can’t move, can’t speak, can’t think. She can only see the unnatural bent of her Lola’s neck, the emptiness of her normally warm eyes. She’s almost ten years old; she has lost something she will never recover. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The men, five of them, consider her next. She is weak and obviously holding no valuables, but she is a witness to their crime. One steps a little closer, and she sees the reluctance in his eyes.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “We don’t want to hurt you.” He’s offering her some form of empathy that her grandmother didn’t receive.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She screams. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Light explodes from her, arcing towards the men. The one that had been looking directly at her screams in pain, and drops to the ground, covering his eyes. The others look at her as if she is the monster, before scattering. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She holds onto her light.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>She nearly stumbles in the alley, Orion quickly wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her. Nini’s heart is racing a mile a minute, and she takes deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She can’t though, because all she can see is the black blood on her hands, slowly turning into the familiar crimson that was Lola’s.</p><p>Her breath hitches and she almost sobs. If Orion wasn’t there, she would have sobbed.</p><p>“Are you okay?” her partner’s voice is shaky, not the suave, almost snarky tone he uses when fighting crime and quipping one-liners at her. She can’t see much past his mask, but his eyes are haunted, an empty look that Nini knows too well.</p><p>She looked like that when Lola died.</p><p>She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Her throat closes in on her, her airways constricting and she can’t do more than shake her head. Her hands feel clammy, and all she can feel is the blood dripping <em> down down down </em>—</p><p>“Allegra?” Orion, despite his own grief (loss? sadness?), looks at her worriedly. His hands are shaking as well, she notes as he puts one on her shoulder, crouching down to her eye level to make eye contact with her. She isn’t the only one affected by the civilian’s death. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>She tries to breathe, put oxygen back in her lungs, and eventually succeeds. She gulps them down like someone who was without water, almost desperately as she tries to keep her composure. She could feel tears sliding down from behind her mask, and sinks to the ground, away from Orion’s confused but concerned gaze, putting her face in her hands.</p><p>He doesn’t say anything, but just sits down beside her. It’s kind of peaceful then, just sitting there quietly while Nini has silent tears running down her face. She doesn’t look over to Orion, she doesn’t dare to, but she knows that the death of the civilian hit him hard as well, because it’s probably the first time he lost someone.</p><p>He’s probably blaming himself for what could have gone differently. If he fought back against the mind-controlled civilians, if he fought Pandora alongside Nini when it mattered, so that the supervillain would already be captured and incarcerated. If he was a little faster and had time to fly in front of the knife, or knock it out of the air before it hit them, because every second matters and maybe those few would have. It’s what Nini did when her Lola died. She knows the feeling.</p><p>But you can torture yourself and go on and on about what could have gone differently, what you should have done instead of what went wrong. You can blame yourself for years to come, make yourself sick and angry and regretful and horrified, because there’s nothing else to do since someone is <em> dead </em>. And it’s all your fault.</p><p>Nini has been doing that for the past ten years. She doesn’t wish that on anyone else.</p><p>So, she dries off her tears and focuses on the wall in front of her. It’s nothing special, just a brick wall with incoherent graffiti drawn all over it, but she swallows her tears, and says, “It’s not the first time someone’s died on me.”</p><p>Her voice is croaky and hoarse, probably from crying, and she kind of hates it, but Orion shifts beside her. He doesn’t say anything, which is okay, because this is something too big to spring on someone. It’s time she talked about it, though, and maybe her superhero partner won’t lie awake late at night, replaying that moment over and over again, just like her.</p><p>“I was ten,” she starts, staring at the wall. Her voice is bitter, cracking a little. “My grandmother was my best friend, always there for me no matter what. My parents were busy, usually, with the jobs they had and all, and she looked after me most of the time. I adored her.” She plays with her hands, watching her fingertip glow a little, and draws shapes in the air. “And I always had these powers, the ability to make my hands glow and everything, but I never really <em> used </em> them before.”</p><p>She bites her lip. From the corner of her eye, she can see Orion glance towards her curiously. “We were just walking down the sidewalk like any other day, and it was pretty late I guess. I was being a brat, complaining to her about not wanting to go home because I was a <em> big girl now, </em> and she raised her voice at me.” She chuckles dryly. “The last thing I said to her was me being a brat. Go figure.” She takes a deep breath, feeling sobs start to build up in her throat. “These <em> robbers </em> came, probably because a little girl and an old woman are easy targets, right? And they— they slam her against a wall, and I know— I know she’s gone. Her eyes were empty, her neck was bent at a weird angle and I just <em> snapped. </em> It was the biggest outburst of power— my hands lit up and everything, and I blinded one of them. The rest looked at me like I was some <em> monster, </em> when they were the monsters, they killed a woman and tried to murder her granddaughter and —”</p><p>She’s sobbing now, and she can hear Orion scoot closer to her. “— and it was my fault. Instincts were telling me that we were being followed. That we were being attacked. But I was a second too slow, too late to save my own <em> grandmother, </em> who I love more than anyone else in the world.” She wipes her nose with her sleeve, not caring about dirt and snot. She could worry about laundry later. “I replay those moments in my head over and over again in my head. It’s always what I could have done differently, if I acted faster, if I wasn’t such a jerk to her before I died. But then I realized something. I have these— these <em> powers. </em> And out of seven billion people on this planet, <em> I’m </em>somehow the person who can draw electricity from anywhere, who could make their hands glow when they want to. Whoever decided to give me these powers obviously thought that somehow, I’m special. I could make a change.”</p><p>“So you became a superhero.” It is the first time he talked since sitting down beside her. HIs voice, too, is croaky, a little dry from dehydration. </p><p>She cracks a wry smile. “<em>With great power comes great responsibility,</em>” she says dryly, fiddling with her hands, before feeling the dried blood on them and dropping them. “Spiderman really knew what they were doing with that one. When you could do the things that we can, but you don’t, and the bad things happen… they happen because of you.” She looks back up at the brick wall, but freezes when she sees the blood stains on it. She blinks again, and they’re gone. </p><p>“I guess the point is, if there really was a cohesive one, it’s that we’re going to fail. We’re going to fuck it up sometimes because humans are flawed, no matter how many superpowers we have. Sometimes people are going to die, and you’re going to kick yourself everyday because maybe you could have done <em> something </em> — and that’s okay. We grow, we learn, we screw up, but if we don’t do our damn jobs, bad things <em> will </em> happen and it’s going to be our faults. I just— I just hope you learn to live with it, because it’s going to <em> suck </em> and you’re going to have a lot of sleepless nights because you can’t save everyone.” </p><p>She blinks, seeing the faint flash of Lola’s face, and smells the metallic tang of blood in the air. </p><p>“You can’t save everyone.”</p><p>She jumps when Orion wraps an arm around her, but it feels nice, familiar even. She can hear him sniffle as well, so she slings her right arm around him as well, both staring at the brick wall. In the two years they’ve been fighting crime together, it’s always been getting the job done, nothing personal. </p><p>But this: this is deeper than any other interaction with him. And it feels nice.</p>
<hr/><p>When Nini gets back to her dorm, she is met by Kourtney, who promptly shoves a sheaf of flyers at her. Her exhaustion is bone-deep, and she barely retains her grip on them as she reads the words <em> PROTEST </em> and <em> GENTRIFICATION </em>in bold letters. </p><p>“What’s going on?”</p><p>“Capitalism, Nina.” Kourtney declares. Nini rubs at her eyes, hoping the action will purge the last 24 hours from her body.</p><p>“That’s still going on?” she snarks. Kourt gives her a dirty look, and begins to explain.</p><p>“The music store on Cherry Street.” That gets Nini’s attention. It’s a locally owned record and instrument store that’s been around for generations, that their whole friend group frequents and adores. The owner, Ben Mazzara is crotchety and loveable, and she hates to think of him getting hurt. “Apparently some developer wants the property, so their landlord just hiked up rent prices on the entire block and they’re getting evicted in a week. Just like that.” A wave of bitterness surges through Nini, and she sees it reflected on her friend’s face. </p><p>“Not if we have anything to say about it.”</p>
<hr/><p>Nini finds herself wandering around campus, marginally refreshed after a quick shower.</p><p>She posts flyers on almost every empty wall she sees, and calls out to passersby. Most people respond with disinterest, but some take flyers or ask for more details. She starts cycling the same lines at everyone in hearing distance, “<em>the protest is on Cherry Street at 8, make sure to tell your friends,” </em>and quick facts about the long term harms of gentrification to the neighbourhood. She has already failed someone in need today, and she refuses to let it happen again without a fair fight. </p><p>“Why are they getting evicted?” a high pitched voice enters her periphery, and she turns to see a small blonde girl clutching one of the flyers. “I <em> love </em>the tea shop on that corner.”</p><p>Nini gives her a sad smile. “Some douchebag real estate developer wants to destroy a historic street for a profit.”</p><p>“God I hate rich people.” The girl’s words are coated in genuine disgust, and Nini feels a spark of companionship.</p><p>“Yeah, I already called dibs on eating him but I’ll save you a bite.” she jokes, and smiles and she hears the girl laugh — a bubbly, loud, but shrill thing.</p><p>“I appreciate it,” she responds, and extends her hand, “I’m Lily.” Nini grasps it tightly, and smiles.</p><p>“I’m Nina, but I go by Nini.”</p><p>“Nini.” Lily tests the name out, and smiles again. It’s a casual encounter, but as Lily fervently promises that she’ll be at the protest before bounding off to a study group, Nini swears she feels something like a spark.</p>
<hr/><p>Nini is standing in the blazing summer heat holding a sign that says, <em> IT’S NOT REVITALIZATION, IT’S GENTRIFICATION </em>in bold red letters. She can feel the sweat run down her back as she holds her sign up high, searching for the blonde head she met earlier that day. Lily promised that she would be there, and Nini hopes that the other girl would show up, but to no avail.</p><p>In the sea of people, she can spot multiple blonde heads. However, because there are so many, she doesn’t know which one is actually the small blonde, and not just a random stranger. Resigned, Nini continues to chant with the other protesters, searching for Kourtney, Ricky, and the rest of her friend group, who are also protesting today. She spots Ashlyn and makes her way over there.</p><p>“Hey Nini, I didn’t see you all day!” the redhead explains, while lifting her own sign in the air higher. Ashlyn is dressed in a plain white t-shirt and jean shorts, with a large white mask sticking out of her pocket. Noticing Nini’s curious gaze, she answers, “Oh, just my mask for the ball. It’s kind of simple, I know, but I saw it at the thrift store and thought it would be good to decorate. Or, well, ask Kourt to make something really cool.”</p><p>Nini nods. She didn’t think much of the masked ball, with fighting crime and now, the whole Pandora debacle. She doesn’t even know what she’ll do when the time comes, if she’s going with anyone, what she’s wearing. The ball is in a few weeks, she can make do by then. If everything in her life is sorted by then, which she highly doubts. However, the prospect of letting loose for <em> just one night </em> is inviting, tempting even. But she can’t fail the city again. Not with what happened today. </p><p>“I think she’d love to do that for you,” Nini replies idly, eying the office buildings that are towering over the protestors. Something is making her skin crawl, but it’s probably the heat getting to her. Nothing more. Desperate to shake herself, she asks, “Speaking of the masked ball, are you and Kourt going together?”</p><p>Ashlyn blushes, a lovely red on her pale cheeks. “Yeah. She asked me this morning.”</p><p>“That’s great!” Nini’s grin is wide — <em> finally </em> a win for today. “You guys have been pining after one another for <em> months, </em> you can’t even imagine how happy I am for you!”</p><p>Ashlyn opens her mouth to say something, but Nini isn’t paying attention. The hairs on her arm are sticking up, and cold sweat is trickling down her arm. She checks the time on her phone: <em> 8:30. </em> She had a long day, and didn’t get much sleep last night. It’s probably nothing. She hopes it’s nothing.</p><p>But her wishes aren’t listened to as the office buildings she was staring at become engulfed with purple smoke — smoke she knows all too well from the morning. She gulps, pinching herself once, twice, to see if she is simply sleep deprived and seeing things. Once again, her wishes are not listened to, and the purple smoke becomes a little more obvious.</p><p>If not for the protest, people would have noticed the smoke surrounding the buildings, but because of the general darkness of 8:36, not many people could see as well as Nini. With her super senses and all, she could tell something is wrong. She just hopes it’s not like this morning. </p><p>“Uh, Ash?” Nini says, interrupting the other girl in the middle of her sentence while offering an apologetic smile. “I don’t feel so well; could you watch over my sign for a bit? I’m going to the bathroom.”</p><p>Ashlyn looks concerned. “Are you okay? Do you want me to come with you?”</p><p>“No!” Nini exclaims a little too quickly, before backtracking. “It’s only, you know — I’ll be fine! See you later?”</p><p>The girl nods, taking Nini’s sign, and reaching into Ashlyn’s pocket, Nini takes her mask. She sends a silent apology to her friend, hoping that she would just think it dropped somewhere and not that someone — <em> Nini </em> — took it. Blending into the crowd, Nini ties the back around her eyes, checking her reflection in one of the shiny windows of the many skyscrapers in New York, making sure that she is unrecognisable.</p><p>Running towards what she assumes is the source of the purple smoke, Nini runs through the building, hopping up the stairs with her enhanced skills until she reaches the area where the fog is most concentrated. She can barely make out the figure in it, but doesn’t want to give herself away, less she loses her jump.</p><p>“I was beginning to wonder where you were,” the figure says. The voice is familiar, but warped in a way, and Nini can’t tell what she’s hearing, or how the perp knew she was coming. “Oh, save your questions for someone willing to answer them, <em> Allegra</em>, I’m not here to talk.”</p><p>“Pandora?” she hates how small her voice sounds. Allegra the superhero with the bioluminescence is confident, never scared of backing down for a challenge. She steels herself up, making her hands glow enough to make the purple fog disperse around the supervillain, but not herself. She’s not in full costume, and if Pandora somehow recognises her… her friends and family could be in danger. “What do you want this time?”</p><p>The supervillain is once again dressed in a skintight, probably spandex, purple suit, as deep as the fog around them. Pandora’s face is mostly obscured by a black mask, only revealing two sharp blue eyes. In the eerie glow of the office lights, her opponent looks ethereal, a demon who escaped the pits of hell to bring wrath to the mortals whose only crimes were that they were alive. “Actually, I’m all done now,” the villain drawls, eyes glinting in satisfaction as she makes her way over to the window, “but you’re free to kick around and do whatever you and your annoying partner do.”</p><p>Nini’s eyes start to glow, as do her hands as she draws electricity from the building. It’s teeming with it, and Nini can’t help but think that Pandora chose this place on purpose. “That’s too bad, I was hoping for a rematch.”</p><p>Pandora laughs, and it’s loud and bubbly but <em> shrill</em>, probably one of the most terrible things she’s ever heard. “Now, why would I do that? All I need to do is leave, and I’m free to go. You though, you still have a job to do. Failing to protect your citizens, allowing them to die on you, that sort of stuff.” Her tone is mocking, and despite her powers, Nini is not a hothead, and manages a smirk.</p><p>“Who knew that the great Pandora is so <em> boring</em>?” she mocks, pretending to look nonchalant. “I thought you <em> liked </em> attention, or you wouldn’t have made such a big scene earlier today. Or are you just a little lonely phony with no attention from Mommy and Daddy that you needed to cause trouble in the big, bad city of New York?”</p><p>That must have struck a nerve with Pandora, because knives flew at Nini, who ducked and heard them land in the wall. Nini aims sneakily at Pandora’s feet, blasting her with a blinding light that makes her slip. She advances forward, but a knife barely misses her face as her opponent gets up, wielding purple smoke in both hands. In rapid succession, knives fly toward her in three different places, and barely managing to draw electricity, Nini disintegrates them.</p><p>She then fakes a blast to Pandora’s feet, and as predicted, the villain jumps to avoid it, only to be met with the debris of Nini aiming at the ceiling above her. The debris, however, moves towards Nini instead, and feeling the chairs wrap around her arms, purple smoke surrounding it, she’s trapped.</p><p>But there’s a dark blur that runs in front of her, and the debris is sent back to Pandora, knocking her off her feet. The figure throws a desk at the villain, and Nini hears the satisfying sound of a <em> crack </em>, and knows that they must have hit something. When the figure turns to her, a dark mask covering their eyes, she realizes that it’s Orion, who coincidentally must have seen the purple smoke and made his way over to the building as well.</p><p>“Hey,” he says. “You okay?”</p><p>She nods. “We need to finish what we started this morning.”</p><p>With her free hands, Nini absorbs more electricity, sending a full powered blast to where Pandora is on the floor. It wouldn’t blind her, but it would incapacitate her until Orion can bind her hands together to prevent the purple fog and magical knives. She inches closer, aiming at the ceiling to get debris to trap the villain. She gets even closer, and discovers that Pandora isn’t there.</p><p>There’s a yelp from behind her as Orion dodges knives from Pandora, sweeping his legs under her as he delivers a powerful punch to the villain’s face. Although Nini has good instincts, Orion’s is enhanced to the point where he could sense anything a mile away. Pandora is trying to conjure something with purple smoke, and Nini sends a blast to her hands, burning her.</p><p>It’s two against one, Pandora is outnumbered. She had the upperhand last time as well, but she can’t underestimate Pandora. The supervillain clearly has more than a few tricks up her sleeve. But she has an even better advantage this time — Orion, who always has her back, and Nini knows this as he does left and she goes right, blasting at Pandora’s hands once more before Orion knocks her to the ground. </p><p>Nini has once again pinned Pandora, but Orion has secured cables around her wrists, giving her no escape. Their opponent still doesn’t look scared, just as cocky as she was that morning, and Orion realizes that a second before Nini and lunges toward the corner a fraction too late. The room erupts in purple smoke, sending Nini crashing into computers and desks, while Orion is flung to the walls. </p><p>Her head is spinning when she comes to, and eyes widening, Nini runs over to where Pandora was. </p><p>She isn’t there anymore.</p><p>“No, no, no!” Nini cries in frustration, making the room light up in every little crevice imaginable, and while the purple smoke is clear, it’s just as obvious that its creator is gone. “She can’t be gone again! I can’t believe we lost her!” </p><p>In her haze of self-pity and rage, she fails to notice the crumple in the corner Orion lunged at, just ranting and scouring the area for any sign of Pandora. The room is buzzing with electricity all around, the computers giving her immeasurable boosts, but she’s broken  out of it when Orion says, “Allegra? You might want to see this.”</p><p>She pads over and nearly drops with horror. There is a man, well dressed and in a business suit, with a knife in his eye. He’s unconscious, but with a quick check to his pulse, it’s clear that he’s still alive. The knife isn’t poisoned, as there is no black blood in the area, and Orion rips a bit of his suit to create a doughnut of cloth around his eye, keeping the knife in place to minimize the damage.</p><p>With trembling fingers, she spies a piece of paper beside him, and nearly gasps when she reads it, before showing it to Orion.</p><p>
  <em> Greed makes a man blind and foolish, making him an easy prey for death.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>That night, Nini is sitting on the roof of her dorm building, experimentally strumming chords for her current composition, trying to find a progression that captures the mixture of dread and confusion she’s feeling. She’s working on the refrain when she hears a voice say, “That’s pretty.”</p><p>She jumps and clutches her ukulele to her chest, as the person laughs and holds his hands up. She looks up, expecting a frat boy, and instead sees the silver-clad figure of her superhero partner.</p><p>“Uh. Is this roof like a secret superhero base or something?” she blurts out. She’s trying to find an easy cover: humor, boredom, <em> something </em>to mask everything she is feeling. There’s a warmth in his eyes that seems familiar but she can’t place as he settles down besides her.</p><p>He laughs. “Nah, I just needed to clear my head for a bit. I didn’t know that anyone came here.” There’s a vulnerability in Orion’s voice that she’s never heard, not in two years of gallivanting around the city with him as they save each other’s lives. She feels a stirring of guilt, their last couple of losses have been brutal— and she hadn’t paid nearly enough attention to how it was affecting him.</p><p>“What’s going on?” She prods. He smiles gently as he settles beside her.</p><p>“I’ve just been… messing a lot of things up lately. Important things. And it’s hard to pretend like the world isn’t falling apart around me.” Nini’s guilt solidifies into a block, dropping into her stomach. How many times had Orion put on a brave face or made a stupid joke to lighten the mood as he faced the same crises that she did? </p><p>“Is this about that new supervillain? Pandora or something?” Orion shrugs.</p><p>“Yeah, <em> Pandora</em>. She’s been five steps ahead of us this whole time.” There’s something bitter in his voice that makes her heart clench. “I just don’t feel particularly heroic.”</p><p>“Hey.” she grabs his hand, “why would you say that? Allegra would be nothing without you.” He ducks his head shyly, and squeezes back.</p><p>“<em>Allegra </em>is a real hero. She’s the one with the plans and foresight, I’m more of an unwanted sidekick.”</p><p>“That’s not true.” she spits out. “You’re important. To her, to everyone.”</p><p>“Not in the way I want to be.”</p><p>Nini looks at him, truly looks at him, under the moonlight. Most of his skin is covered by his suit, but she can see scattered constellations of freckles across his cheek. For the first time, she considers how truly they know each other. Not the Nini sitting on this roof, too scared to tell her best friend how she feels, but the Nini that can make light erupt from her fingertips. The Nini that is strong and bold and fearless. No one knows about her alter-ego, but he is the only person on the planet that could truly understand it. Nini knows that it’s unrealistic and slightly too whimsical for her to believe in destiny, in loves written in the stars: but she does. She doesn’t think it was a coincidence that Orion was drawn to this rooftop, that his heart is broken in the same way that hers is.</p><p>He just holds her gaze and she considers him, then holds his breath as she traces her thumb over his freckles. Orion was one of the first constellations she learned, and she knows that if she looks at the night sky right now, she will see it above her. Constant.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>if you like this, check out our other works and twitters! <a href="https://twitter.com/litanize">@litanize</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ataharcot">@ataharcot</a> :D</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>